Construction toy



Sept. 17, 1935. c. BI ER BACI-i" ,0 4. 4

cous'rnugmon TOY Filed July-l4, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENVELOPE INVENTOR7 ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1935. Q Q B|ERBACH 2,014, 464

CONSTRUCTION TOY Filed Jul y'l4, 1934 s sheet -sheet 2 INVENTOR Um"!Bierback, BY

ATTORNEY Sept. 17, 1935. QIVBIERBACIH 2,014,464

CONSTRUCTION TOY Filed July'14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONSTRUCTION TOYCarl Bierbach, Newark, N. J., assignor to Steel Builder Company, Inc.,Newark, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application July 14, 1934,Serial No. 735,137

6 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to instructive toys and the inventionhas reference, more particularly, to a novel construction toy adapted tobe sold as toy sets, each such set containing a number of constructionelements of various kinds which may be assembled in various combinationsV course, be observed that the toy sets may be more economically madethe fewer the number of different parts which must be supplied with eachone, that is, the more models that can be made from parts of the samecharacter the cheaper the price of the set. It is then a considerableadvantage to have various parts interchangeable and adapted for use invarious relations and positions, for even if a greater number or moreduplication of such parts is required, it will still be more economicalthan to supply the same number of different elements.

The principal object of this invention is to provide constructionelements susceptible of a -variety of uses, whereby the number ofdifferent parts in a toy of this type is reduced to a minimum.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of a number ofconstruction elements or parts which may be secured together in variousrelations to form different toy structures or units thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a toy buildingelement or strip which is adapted to be joined transverselyorlongitudinally to other similar building elements to thereby formcomposite structures of various widths and lengths.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more'particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same. 4

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy set embodying the principles of thepresent invention, the set being mounted in a container having its coverremoved;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of a hollow cylindrical object made up ofconnection. pieces or elements;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 3ashows a connection piece in section; 5

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of a typical toy made up from constructionelements shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings;

Fig. 5 is a plan view partly broken away of the structure of Fig. 4; 10

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away of aportion of the toy shown 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view looking up at the bottom of the structure shown'in Fig.4

Fig. 9 is a perspective fragmentary view illustrating a manner ofassembling certain of the 20 construction elements;

Fig. 10 is a sectional,view taken along line Ill-40 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the strip construction elementsand Fig. 111:. shows 5 a section thereof;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner ofattaching a straddle-piece to a strip construction element.

Figs. 13 and 14 are perspective views of opposite 30 sides of astructure illustrating two strip construction elements interconnected bya straddle piece.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a bracket member; and 35 Fig. 16 showstwo strip construction elements interconnected by similan third stripconstruction element.

-S imilar characters of reference are employed in said views to indicatecorresponding parts. 40 Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings thereference numeral I designates a container or carton having a partition2 of cardboard or other suitable material therein to which partition isattached the several construction elements form- 45 ing a simple toy setembodying the principles of the present invention. Certain of theconstruction elements of the set are attached to the partition 2 as bymeans of elastic threads or cords 3 while other of the elements or partsare mount- 50 ed in conforming slits or cuts provided in the partition2.

These construction elements are illustrated as including longitudinalstrip elements 4, 4' and 4". The elements 4' and 4 though similar to theelements 4 are longer than the elements 4. A panel 5 and pressed metalwheels 6 having hubs I provided with set screws 3 are also included.Additional construction elements include the connection pieces 9, asmall panel I 0, a U-shaped member ll, straddle pieces l5, brackets l2,rods or pins-i3 of various lengths and a crank pin l4.

The connection pieces 9 may be of various lengths as especially shown inFigs. 1 to 3. These connection pieces each comprise a flatlongitudinally extending back or main portion having tabs it provided atits ends, the said tabs l6 being adapted to be folded or turned at rightangles to the back portion, as illustrated in Figs.-1

to 3, wherein the tab I6 at one end of each connection piece is soturned. The connection piece back portion is provided at its side edgeswith folded over flanges H, the two said flanges extending parallel tothe back portion though spaced somewhat therefrom to provide a receivingrecess I8, said flanges l1 lying in a common plane, there being acentral longitudinally extending space or opening between the opposededges of flanges l1 communicating with recess l3 for accommodatingcooperating construction elements as will appear from an inspection ofFig. 3. Thus, for example, these connection pieces may be assembled bysliding adjacent pieces longitudinally with respect to one another sothat the flange ll of one enters the recess H! of another to form acylindrical member of any desired diameter, the latter dimensiondepending upon the number of connection pieces used.

The longitudinal strip element 4 comprises a longitudinally extendingweb l9 (see Figs. 1 and 11) that is provided near its ends withlongitudinal slots 20 and is provided intermediate these slots 20 with aplurality of apertures 2|. Thus, the elements 4 have three of theseapertures 2|, the elements 4' have five of such apertures and theelements 4"' have seven of such apertures, the difierence in the numberof apertures being due to the greater lengths of members 4' and 4". Theends of the web l9 are provided with tabs 22 which are turned intooverlying relation with respect to the web IS, the angle between thetabs 22 and the web being preferably 45". If desired, certain of theelements 4, 4' or 4" may be supplied with the tabs 22 extending directlyfrom the ends of the web l3 and lying in the plane of the web as shownat 4a in Fig. 1. Flanges 23 extending at right angles to web i9, areformed integrally with the side edges of this web and have folded ordoubled over portions 24 that extend parallel to the respective flangesand are spaced slightly therefrom thereby providing a space 25 forreceiving cooperating elements as especially shown in Figs. 6 and 10.The doubled over portions 24 serve to greatly strengthen the flanges 23thereby correspondingly strengthening the strip elements 4. 1) has itsflanges 23 cut away in the region of the mid-length of this member asindicated at 30.

The pressed metal wheels 3 (see Fig. 6) are illustrated as made up oftwo oppositely pressed disks 26 which are fixed upon a reduced beadedportion 23 of the hub I. The wheels 6 are adapted to be mountedon any ofthe shafts or rods l3 and I4 by merely sliding these rods through theapertures of hubs I. By then tightening set screws 8, the wheels may belocated in any positions desired on the rods l3.

The U-shaped member H is very similar to the The strip element 4a (seeFig.

merely bending the web IQ of this strip element transversely at twopoints i. e. at the ends of the cut out portions 30 of flanges 23. ThisU- shaped member I l is especially useful in forming the free ends ofbooms, cranes, derricks and etc.

The straddle pieces l5 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 9) each comprise a flatsubstantially rectangular main portion having central longitudinallydisposed slots 32 and circular apertures 33 therein. 'Iwvo circularapertures 33 are located near 10 each end of the piece II and one suchaperture midway of the length of this piece, while two slots 32 areemployed, the same being intermediate the central and outer apertures33. The main portion ofthe piece I5 is provided at its side edges 15with upstanding flanges 34 the said flanges have cut out portions 35near their ends and somewhat larger out out portions 36 midway of theirlengths. If desired, certain of the straddle pieces [5 may be providedwith a bearing or hub 31 20 that is similar to the hub 1 of the wheels6, the aperture of the hearing or hub 1 being positioned so as tocoincide with the central aperture 33 (see Fig. 12)

The straddle pieces l5 may be put to various 25 uses as illustrated inFigs. 9, 10, 13 and 14. In Figs. 9 and 10, by use of fastening elementsor screw bolts 33, a straddle piece [5 is used to retain a plurality oftransversely abutting and interengaging strip elements 4 in assembledrela- 30 tion. In Figs. 13 and 14 the piece or element I5 is used tosecure two longitudinally abutting strip pieces 4 together by use offasteners 33. In Fig.

16 one strip piece 4 is used for a similar purpose, thereby illustratingthe interchangeability of 36 parts. Figs. 4 and 12 illustrate how theflanges 34 fit snugly into the channel like recesses of strip members 4,thereby facilitating the rigid holding of the connected strip pieces bythe straddle pieces. 40

The brackets I2 (see Fig. 15) are very similar to the straddle pieces l5and may be formed from the same blanks as these straddle pieces. Thebrackets l2 are bent along a transverse line midway of their lengthsinto a right angled shape and 45 the mid-length circular aperture 33 ofstraddle members i5 are omitted in the brackets l2. The brackets l2 maybe used for many purposes, two such uses being illustrated in Figs. 4and 5 of the drawings. In these figures the brackets l2 are 50 used inconjunction with a strip element 4 to stillen the body of the cart shownand as a coupling for use in pulling the cart.

It will be noted that in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 the connection pieces 9 areused to form the corners of 55 the body of the cart, these connectionpieces being pushed downwardly so that tabs 22 of ele ments 4 and 4enter and are flrmly retained within recesses ll of the connectionpieces, thereby rigidly holding the parts in assembled relation. Thelower tabs I3 01' the connection pieces are then turned inwardly,thereby locking the connection pieces in place and preventing theirendwise displacement. when it is desired to disassemble the cart, thelower tabs l6 may again be straightened i. e. turned to a verticalposition so as to lie in the plane of the main body or back of theconnection pieces, whereupon the connection pieces may be slid upwardlyand off of the tabs 22. Figs. 4 to 6 illustrate one manner of using thepanels 5 and I0 the said panels being held at their peripheral edges inthe receiving spaces 25 of the strip elements 4 and 4'.

It will be noted that all of the parts of the toy set, with theexception of rods I3 and I4, are

pressed from sheet metal and that several parts namely 4'a and l I, I2and I are substantial duplicates, thereby enabling the set to beproduced cheaply.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, as defined by thefollowingclaims, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements, said elementscomprising, strip pieces having webs reeniorced with flanges, said webshaving tabs at their ends, said tabs extending at angles of less thanninety degrees with respect to said webs, and connection pieces forinterconnecting said strip pieces, said connection pieces having flatback portions and folded over flanges provided at the side edges of saidback portions, said folded over flanges being spaced from said backportions for the reception of the tabs of said strip piecestherebetween.

2. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements said elementscomprising, strip pieces having webs reenforced with flanges, said webshaving fastener apertures therein, and straddle pieces for use inbuilding said strip pieces up into structures of multiple strip widths,said straddle pieces having substantially flat apertured main portionsprovided with flanges at their side edges, said main portion flangeshaving cut out portions to enable such flanges to fit between theflanges of said strip pieces.

3. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements, said elementscomprising, strip pieces having webs reenforced with flanges havingdoubled over portions, said webs having tabs at their ends extending atangles of less than ninety degrees with said webs, pieces forinterconnecting said strip pieces to form built up structures, andbrackets for use in completing such built up structures, said bracketscomprising an angle shaped main portion 5 having flanges at its edges,said main portion flanges having cut out portions to enable such flangesto fit between the flanges of said strip pieces.

4. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements, one of said elementscomprising a strip piece having a web, forwardly projecting flangesprovided at the side edges of said web, each ofsaid flanges being formedwith a doubled over portion spaced from the main portion of the flange,thereby providing a receiving recess extending throughout the length ofthe flange and open at the rear of said strip piece.

5. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements, one of said elementscomprising a strippiece having a web provided with fastener aperturestherein, flanges provided at the side edges of said web, each of saidflanges being formed with a doubled over portion exteriorly spaced fromthe main portion of the flange and lying without the margins of saidweb, thereby providing a receiving recess extending throughout thelength of the flange, and tabs provided on the ends of said web.

6. A toy set composed of a plurality of elements, one of said elementscomprising a strip piece having a web, flanges provided at the sideedges of said web, each of said flanges being formed with a doubled overportion spaced from the main portion of the flange, thereby providing areceiving recess extending throughout the length of the flange, and tabsprovided on the ends of said web, said tabs being turned into overlyingrelation to said web at an angle of substantially forty-five degreesthereto.

CARL BIERBACH.

